Chapter I

THE SOCIAL LADDER

_Drawings by_
CHARLES DANA GIBSON

_New York_: R. H. RUSSELL
_London_: JOHN LANE
1902

This is the seventh book in the regular series of Mr. Gibson’s published
drawings, consisting of:

DRAWINGS BY C. D. GIBSON No. 1
PICTURES OF PEOPLE No. 2
SKETCHES AND CARTOONS No. 3
THE EDUCATION OF MR. PIPP No. 4
AMERICANS No. 5
A WIDOW AND HER FRIENDS No. 6
THE SOCIAL LADDER No. 7

Each book contains eighty-four of Mr. Gibson’s best cartoons, and all are uniform in size, shape and binding. Thanks are due Messrs. Mitchell & Miller for their co-operation in making this volume as representative and complete as possible.

Copyright by Mitchell & Miller
COPYRIGHT, 1902, BY ROBERT HOWARD RUSSELL

This book is published in Great Britain by especial arrangement with Mr. James Henderson, the proprietor of the English copyright of some of the drawings.

Printed in the United States of America, in July, 1902
Entered at Stationers’ Hall

AN IMITATION OF THE LADY OF THE HOUSE.]

_She_: “YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT IT IS TO LOVE.”

“I DON’T, EH? HAVEN’T I BEEN TO EVERY PLAY, READ EVERY POPULAR NOVEL IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, GOT INTO DEBT HOPELESSLY, HAD MY APPENDIX REMOVED, AND ALL FOR YOUR SAKE?”]

_Time: Any morning at 4:15._

MR. MEEKER, HAVING BEEN KEPT UP LATE FOR THE LAST TWENTY YEARS AND REBUKED FOR HIS LACK OF INTEREST, DEVELOPS A SUDDEN ENTHUSIASM. MRS. MEEKER AND THE GIRLS NOW DO THE WAITING.]

AT A DRAMATIC AGENCY.]

“MOTHER, DEAR MOTHER, COME HOME WITH ME NOW.”]

AT THE LAST MOMENT, SEVERAL WHO WERE INVITED SEND THEIR REGRETS.]

SHE CANNOT TALK, SHE CANNOT SING,
SHE LOOKS A FRIGHT; BUT FOLKS AVER
TEN MILLIONS HAVE BEEN SET APART
TO TALK AND SING AND LOOK FOR HER.]

HAVE PLATE GLASS FRONTS TO THE OPERA BOXES? THE OCCUPANTS COULD STILL BE SEEN, BUT NOT HEARD.]

_Mrs. Innittor Dedd’s maid reads_: “AMONG THOSE PRESENT WAS MRS. INNITTOR DEDD, WHOSE LOVELY FACE AND SPLENDID FIGURE WERE ENHANCED BY A TIARA OF DIAMONDS AND THREE ROPES OF PEARLS. SHE WORE HER FAMOUS RUBIES AND WAS EVEN MORE REGAL THAN AT THE BULLYON’S BALL THE NIGHT BEFORE,” ETC., ETC.]

KEEP YOUR ENTERTAINMENT WITHIN THE MENTAL GRASP OF YOUR GUESTS.]

AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE AUTHOR OF “THE BARRENNESS OF UNKISSED KISSES” AND A FAMOUS DRAMATIST.]

_Professor Bung_: A BEAUTY? WELL, PERHAPS SHE IS.

_Mr. Rattles_: WHY, MAN, HAVEN’T YOU NOTICED THE DIVINE WAY SHE SMILES?

“OH, I’M NOT ALTOGETHER UNOBSERVANT. I HAVE MADE A CALCULATION, IN FACT, THAT THE ENERGY EXPENDED ON HER SMILES, IF SCIENTIFICALLY APPLIED, WOULD RUN AN AUTOMOBILE.”]

SHOWING THAT A MAN MAY BE A HERO IN HIS OWN HOUSE.]

BASKING IN THE GOLDEN SUNSHINE.]

FOR ILL-ASSORTED PAIRS.]

WHILE UNCLE JOE HAS HIS TIE FIXED.]

THERE WAS A CROOKED MAN,
WHO MADE A CROOKED DEAL,
AND GOT A CROOKED FORTUNE
BY A VERY CROOKED STEAL;
HE HAD A CROOKED WIFE,
WITH A VERY CROOKED NAME,
AND NOW THEY LIVE APART
IN VERY CROOKED FAME.]

“BUT IT MAKES SUCH A DIFFERENCE WHEN YOUR HEART ISN’T IN YOUR WORK.”]

“WHERE DID YOU GO ON YOUR WEDDING TRIP?”

“THAT’S WHAT I’VE BEEN WONDERING.”]

WHILE A SPANISH-AMERICAN HERO DESCRIBES THE HORRORS OF WAR.]

“HELLO! HELLO! BIG STRIKE IN CONSOLIDATED CATAMOUNT--CAN MARRY--WANT THREE DAYS’ OPTION HAND AND HEART.”

_She_: WILL GIVE REFUSAL.]

WHILE THE HOSTESS WHISPERS TO JONES, “REMEMBER, NOW, WE ARE COUNTING ON YOU TO MAKE US LAUGH.”]

THE AUTHOR AND THE SOUBRETTE.]

“MAMMA WILL BE DOWN IN A MINUTE.”]